Our history with llamas
We've focused on performance, from showing and training to offering clinics on packing and driving llamas. We were really into driving llama teams (as opposed to llama "singles"). Tom ran a llama trekking service in the late 1980's (Llama Treks Unlimited - ironically limited to the George National Forest, where we had a Federal permit to operate our business.) We joyfully participated in the LAMAS-sponsored members pack trips organized by the late Judy Fee in Southwestern Virginia, where Tom treated his poor unsuspecting friends to his very own "Buzzard's Breath Spaghetti Sauce". We still miss our friend Judy, one of the warmest, most generous persons we have ever been privileged to know. The world became a poorer place when she left it.
Dale has had graduate and post-graduate training in genetics, and because of this interest and her interest in llamas, published a number of articles on genetics in Llamas magazine and also in Llama Life. She has also given seminars and clinics on llama genetics and genetic principles.
We have had a big committment to llama organizations in the past, though we content ourselves now with just being members.
- Dale was a newsletter editor very early on for the infant GALA, and later for a time for the LAMAS association as it was starting up.
- We helped to establish LAMAS and each of us at different times acted as President.
- We organized the GALA Conference held in 1989 at Graves Mountain Lodge, Syria, VA and helped to support the first ever ILA Jamboree held in Culpeper, VA just prior to the Conference
- Tom came up with the idea for the Silent Stud Auction, which has netted LAMAS thousands of dollars every year it was run and benefitted both stud owners and breeders at the same time.
- Dale was on the ILR board for 5 years, and with the able help of the then Registrar, Jack Thomas, helped draft the first published policies for the ILR and was an instrumental part of the closure of the Registry.